Typically, network carriers provide their subscribers with a variety of options for subscribing to voice, messaging, content, and/or data services provided by an associated telecommunications network. These options include different rate plans, add-ons, and so on. In order to retain their current subscribers and bring in new subscribers, the network carrier, among other things, may modify their existing plans and replace old plans with new plans.
These updates cause tariff logic changes in an online charging system (e.g., an Intelligent Network) associated with the telecommunications network. The online charging system provides real-time call control, rating, metering, notification, and/or CDR generation functions for the network. For example, the online charging systems performs a rating/metering function for every call, message, data communication or other session or event within the network.
In order to determine the proper control and charging of calls, sessions, events, and so on within the network, the online charging system is tested after every logic change is made to the various plans provided to subscribers of the network carrier. Testing after logic changes, which are often manually determined, enables the network carrier to ensure subscriber experiences are satisfactory, calls and other events are charged correctly, revenue loss is prevented, and so on.
However, conventional testing of online charging systems is a manual process. Given the amount of test cases that may arise after a tariff logic change to one or more plans provided by the network carrier (e.g., many different call variable combinations such as subscription variables, balance, call type, location, time, and so on), these manual processes are inefficient and ineffective with respect to correctly, accurately, and completely testing the online charging systems.
The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims.